


Facing Fears

by SilverFox89



Series: From Then to Now [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Married Life, Smart Kids, amused neji, silly nara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 02:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3673887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFox89/pseuds/SilverFox89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neji comes home to a strange situation and is first concerned then duly amused, Shikamaru.... not so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Facing Fears

**Author's Note:**

> For the 30 Day OTP Challenge for the Fluff Impaired. Prompt #1: Inside Jokes

__

The first thing Neji saw when he stepped into the kitchen, after finally coming home from a month long mission, was not something he expected. Shikamaru, his husband of five years, was standing in one of their kitchen chairs, clutching the broom in one hand and a can of bug spray in the other so tightly that his knuckles were white. The Nara was out right glaring at the bottom of the refrigerator, his face was blanched a stark white, a tic had formed at his right temple and his jaw clenched rhythmically. These signs, Neji knew from experience, were the ones that denoted extreme negative emotions. What concerned the recently turned twenty-nine year old though was the fact that these signs had never all been present at the same time. Shikamaru kept a tight rein on his negative emotions and usually only showed one or two of those signs if he was severely upset, never all five at once.

 

Concerned, Neji moved further into the kitchen only to receive a harsh look from the corner of the Nara's eye. Neji frowned, "What in the world has you so worked up?" He looked around the refrigerator, "I don't see anything."

 

"You wouldn't," Shikamaru snarled uncharacteristically. "The damn thing's hiding! Now would you stop distracting me and _PLEASE_ get the fuck out of the kitchen?!"

 

Neji raised an eyebrow at the Nara's abnormal show of temper, "If that's what you want?"

 

"It is."

 

"Very well then. I do need a shower after this last mission. I'll see you when I'm done."

 

"Fine."

 

"By the way, where are Shikaku and Yume?"

 

"In their rooms - napping."

 

"I see. Well I'll leave you to whatever it is that you're doing."

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes later Neji had just slipped on a clean pair of pants when he heard a loud crash from the kitchen followed by Shikamaru cursing the air black. He sighed harshly as he crossed the room to yank open the bedroom door. When he did he found his four and a half year old daughter staring up at him with her pale eyes.

 

"Tou-san, tou-chan's gone nuts," Yume stated promptly.

 

"I can tell. where is your twin?"

 

"He's watching tou-chan. He sent me to get you."

 

Neji sighed, "Of course. Let's go see what you tou-chan has gotten himself into."

 

"Okay."

 

When Neji entered the living room his son, Shikaku(named after his deceased grandfather), looked up at him with the same dark and intelligent, yet uninterested, eyes that Shikamaru had, "Hi tou-san."

 

Neji smiled at his son, "Hello Shikaku. Do you know what's going on in there?"

 

"There's a _REALLY_ big spider in the kitchen," Shikaku pulled his arms far apart for emphasis. "I don't think tou-chan likes it."

 

"It most certainly sounds that way. Why don't the two of you go outside and play while I help tou-chan catch the nasty spider, okay?"

 

"Hai, tou-san," the twins chorused in unison. They turned and ran outside laughing, "Tag! You're it Shikaku!"

 

"Hey! No fair!"

 

Neji shook his head with a smile as he entered the kitchen, "A spider, Shikamaru? Seriously?"

 

The Nara was now on the counter. "Oh fuck you! That is no _mere_ spider! It's a mother fucking tarantula!" Shikamaru spat, "I _**HATE**_ those things!"

 

Neji blinked slowly, "A tarantula?"

 

"Yes,"

 

"You're joking right?"

 

The glare Shikamaru gave him could have caused spontaneous combustion it was so heated. _"If looks could kill I would most certainly be dead right now'_ Neji thought.

 

Mildly amused now, Neji made a decision, "I'll catch the spider for you. On one condition."

 

The Nara eyed him suspiciously, "What type of condition?"

 

"You have to hold it."

 

"OH HELL NO! Hell to the mother of all NOs!"

 

"Would you like to remain on the counter?"

 

"You are an utterly despicable bastard," Shikamaru seethed.

 

"Perhaps, but no husband of mine is going to fear such a docile creature."

 

"Docile my ass!"

 

"All things considered, I'm now fairly certain you provoked any hostile encounter," Neji said. "Tarantulas do not normally attack people if they are left alone. Now do you want off the counter or not?"

 

Shikamaru glared at Neji for a minute longer before he sighed roughly. "Fine," he growled.

 

Ten minutes later Neji was holding the spider out to the Nara on his hand, "Well?"

 

"Do I have to?"

 

"Yes."

 

"You suck."

 

"You still have to hold it."

 

Shikamaru grit his teeth and shuddered hard before he thrust out his hand, "Just get it over with."

 

"As you wish," Neji smirked to himself as he carefully tapped the tarantula until it moved to Shikamaru's hand.

 

"Oh gods," Shikamaru closed his eyes tightly as the creature crawled half way up his arm. "Why me?"

 

"You're okay, you silly Nara. Look, it's just standing there."

 

Shikamaru finally opened his eyes to stare at the large spider. The tarantula didn't even twitch and the Nara slowly started to relax, "It's not doing anything."

 

"If left unprovoked that's generally how it stays."

 

"Right. Okay, so I don't bother it and it won't bother me."

 

"It's not so bad now, is it?" Neji smiled at his husband.

 

Shikamaru's eyes flicked up and his brows drew down into a familiar look of annoyance as he stared Neji in the eye, "You're sleeping on the couch."

 

* * *

 

Three Months Later

 

Shikamaru winced as Naruto let out an ear piercing shriek of terror, "Holy crap! What's his problem?"

 

" _Monster spider!_ "

 

"Oh. Never mind."

 

Neji smirked, "Kiba 'acquired' a tarantula recently from Shino. Now aren't you glad you're not afraid of spiders?"

 

Their friends looked on in confusion as Shikamaru broke down into hysterical laughter.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to get back into writing by AwayLaughing. This prompt ties into at least two others later in the series and is actually further into the future.
> 
> Fixed an issue I saw with the children's' age and did a little editing.


End file.
